1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an extrusion type machine for making soba (buckwheat noodles), udon (wheat-flour noodles), spaghetti and other such noodles, and more particularly to a machine for making soba.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 5 shows a conventional noodle-making machine. With reference to the drawing, a noodle-making machine 1 comprises a motor 3 and a cylindrical casing 4 disposed in a frame 2, and a hopper 5 attached to the top of the frame 2. The motor 3 is supported horizontally on a base 6 affixed inside the frame 2. A motor coupling portion 7 projects from the opposite side of the base 6. Inside the cylindrical casing 4 is disposed a screw 8. A coupling portion 9 has a cavity into which a projecting portion of the motor coupling portion 7 fits. When the coupling portions are thus fitted together, they are held together by a pin 10 that is inserted into a through-hole formed in the coupling portions 7 and 9 in their engaged state, so that rotation of the motor 3 also rotates the screw 8. The part of the screw 8 positioned below the hopper 5 has a large thread pitch, with the pitch becoming finer going towards the end.
The cylindrical casing 4 is formed with a slight flare toward the end thereof. At the end of the casing 4 is a round nozzle plate 11. The nozzle plate 11 has numerous small through-holes 11a formed therein, and is detachably attached to the cylindrical casing 4 by means of screws. Formed in the wall of the cylindrical casing 4 is an opening 4a into which the lower end of the hopper 5 is attached.
To make soba or udon, first a suitable quantity of water is added to the soba or udon flour to form a starting material mixture that is loaded into the hopper 5. The screw 8 is then turned, causing the mixture to be moved toward the nozzle plate 11. As the mixture is not yet kneaded, it is still in a runny state and therefore does not pass through the through-holes 11a. It is the rotation of the screw 8 that performs the kneading. When the mixture has thus been sufficiently kneaded to thicken it, it starts to be forced out through the through-holes 11a, thereby forming strings of soba or udon noodles.
With such a noodle-making machine, kneading the mixture requires the application of a fairly considerable pressure. If the pressure is too high, the temperature of the mix becomes elevated, converting the starch of the starting material into soluble starch. The machine is also subjected to the reactive force of the pressure applied to the mix, which can result in the failure of the pin 10 inserted through the coupling between the motor shaft and the screw shaft. Another drawback is that if the kneading time is too short the soba noodles readily break during boiling, while if the kneading time is too long the soba loses its unique taste and forms a state akin to udon.
An object of the present invention is to provide a noodle-making machine that enables the pressure applied during kneading to be properly adjusted and in which a high kneading pressure does not result in failure of joint portions.
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a noodle-making machine comprising a cylindrical casing, a screw disposed rotatably inside the cylindrical casing, a nozzle plate provided at an end of the cylindrical casing, said nozzle plate having formed therein numerous small holes, and a hopper attached to the casing, wherein a groove is formed in an inner surface at the end of the casing perpendicularly to the screw.
The groove may also be formed as a spiral groove with the spiral winding in the opposite direction to the spiral of the screw.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a noodle-making machine is provided comprising a cylindrical casing, a screw disposed rotatably inside the cylindrical casing, a nozzle plate provided at an end of the cylindrical casing, said nozzle plate having formed therein numerous small holes, a hopper attached to the casing, a motor that drives the screw, and a coupling that connects the screw and the motor, said coupling comprising a recessed female portion on one side and a projecting male portion on the other side that fits snugly into the female portion.
It is preferable that the recess of the female portion and the projection of the male portion each be formed in a straight line extending diametrically with respect to the screw and motor, and that the nozzle plate be detachably attachable to the cylindrical casing. Also, the noodle-making machine in which the groove is thus formed may be configured with a recess formed in the surface of the nozzle plate that faces the screw, with a groove formed in the casing, and with a coupling comprising male and female type coupling members with the female side of the coupling being on either of the screw or the motor, and the male side of the coupling being on whichever of the screw and the motor does not have the female side of the coupling provided thereon.
Moreover, the cylindrical casing in which the screw is rotatably disposed may be arranged horizontally and the drive means used to rotate the screw arranged perpendicularly in a configuration that turns the rotation of the drive means through 90 degrees for transmission to the screw, and with the nozzle plate disposed above, away from the plane on which the apparatus is provided.
Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and following detailed description of the invention.